The following blog post explores the idea of a downtown congestion fee and the factors that would need to be considered if Chicago were to impose such a fee. The Civic Federation does not take a position on any type of congestion pricing or whether it should be implemented in Chicago. This blog...

During this decade of financial difficulties, the State of Illinois’ backlog of unpaid bills has become an important indicator of its fiscal condition, relied on by policymakers, rating agencies, taxpayers and journalists. Now two different ways of measuring the backlog have begun to diverge....

The following blog post examines the possibility of the City of Chicago starting a public bank. It is intended for informational purposes only. The Civic Federation has not taken a position on the idea, which has been discussed during the run-up to the Chicago municipal election later this month...

Illinois’ large number of local government units – the largest in the United States at approximately 7,000 according to the U.S. Census Bureau – is often cited as a reason for high property taxes in Illinois and has fueled calls for government consolidation and efficiencies. In February 2015...

Update: Collection of the City of Chicago’s tax on other tobacco products has been moved from a starting date of March 1, 2019 to no sooner than April 1, 2019 or 60 days following the plaintiff’s deadline to file an appeal, according to the City of Chicago’s Office of Budget and Management....

The following are the five most read posts presented by the Civic Federation blog in 2018 in chronological order. The posts examine issues related to property taxes, Chicago Public Schools and jail population data.

On December 13, 2018, the Motorola Solutions Foundation and the Civic Federation honored the outstanding public service of Jamie Rhee, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation. The annual Motorola Solutions Foundation Excellence in Public Service Award recognizes a non-elected...

The following are the five most read blog posts presented by the Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability in 2018 in chronological order. These posts discuss issues ranging from capital funding to pension obligation bonds.

On December 4 the City of Chicago closed on a deal to refund $673 million of its General Obligation bonds with bonds issued by the Sales Tax Securitization Corporation (STSC). The City Created the STSC in October 2017 after such corporations were authorized by the Illinois General Assembly as...